The Daughter of Egypt, The Lady of 'Grace'
by NekoFlowers
Summary: I ran fast, ignoring the calls of my name behind me. "Nefertari! Get back here," Arisi yelled, making me snicker under my breathe. How I wished I could look behind me and see the younger gir run and trip over and fall flat on her face. Yea, mother and father would be upset but why not live for the moment, even if it leads to your death. My name is Nefertari and I'm a child of Egypt
1. Introduction

_**Heya everyone, tis I, TheClumsyOaf. This my very first story so I hope you guys enjoy it. ^^ COMMENT AND STUFF! THANKIES AND LOVIES TO YOU ALL!**_

**DISCLAIMER:** S_addly, I do NOT own Prince of Egypt, one of the best Dreamworks movies ever! If I did, well, I'd be rich and famous and since I'm none of those looks like I don't own it. ^^ GOOOO DREAMWORKS_

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**INTRODUCTION**

**THE DAUGTHER OF EGYPT**

**In the heat of the mid-day, the sun sat high in the sky, hidden slightly by the bodies of the noon clouds.**

Peeking behind the clouds' shoulders, the sun glanced down on the scene of ancient Egypt below. It watched the same scene it had moments before and decades before that. Below, Hebrew slaves endured callous labor, pain, and even death as the Egyptians worked them until their bodies and lives gave way. The sight was the same as before: an Egyptian guard slinging his whip upon the back of the slaves to work them faster and harder.

Nothing was different from the day before, which seemed to lose the interest of the sun. Suddenly, its light landed on a large litter adorned in lavender chiffon curtains, lifted by golden poles walking towards a large tent where the slaves were working.

Royal slaves lifted the litter, trying their best to hold tight to the poles that held the bed up. It was complicated with the constant bouncing of the ones inside. Inside a young woman, with dark tan skin and a body decorated in fine silk and jewelry sat on white cushions, her hair braided in long thin strands. Around her five girls sat, clamoring over each other.

"Girls," the woman said, leaning up from her lying position, "calm yourselves," she said with a serene smile. Her voice seemed to grab the girls attention.

"But mother," one girl said, pointing to two younger ones, "its not me or Neema or Azeneth. Its those two … those two ruffians."

One of the two girls she pointed to placed her hands on her hips. "'Those to _ruffins_,'" she said, mocking her older sister in a high pitched and pronouncing the word wrong. The other nodded and turned to the obvious older sister and pulling under her eye, while sticking out her tongue. The much older sister gasped softly and frowned.

The mother smiled and pulled the two younger sisters to her. "Kakra, Zesiro, girls. No wild playing. You don't want the litter falling over, do you?" she said, running a hand through Zesiro's short brown hair. Her dark brown eyes looked up at the three slightly older girls. "And Shamise, be kind to your younger sisters."

Shamise sighed and looked off, her arms crossed over her chest. She appeared to be 10 but with her head held high, it showed off obvious intelligence and sophistication. "Well, I am kind to my sisters. Neema, and Azeneth," she said looking to the other sisters who were busy either reading from a scroll or brushing their hair. She turned her attention to her mother. "Those two barbarians aren't my kin. They act like boys. Rather than the girls they are … or supposed to be."

Her mother frowned slightly. "Shamise!"

The twins giggled and Zesiro threw her head up. "We _are _boys," Zesiro yelled flipping up her silk dress showing her flat chest. Kakra laughed and mimicked her twin.

Her mother quickly pulled down the two girls dresses and quickly gathered all five of the girls close to her. She lightly ran a hand along Shamise's cheek. "Sweethearts, Shamise, Azeneth, Neema, Zesiro, Kakra, my dears," she said, sweetly running a hand over her daughters cheeks or hair. "You must get along. We are going to see your father at work. It will be a short visit but I still. Please be on your best behavior, dears," she said softly, fingers lacing through Kakra's shoulder length black hair.

Kakra smiled and nodded. "We will, mommy," Kakra said, leaning up and hugging her mother.

Shamise joined in. "Yes, mother," she said, snuggling into her mother's neck, "we'll be good. I promise."

Their mother smiled and pulled away from her daughter's hold. Suddenly, a deep voice alerted them. "Lady Irisi, we have arrived," a carrier slave said.

In a voice completely controlling and nothing like how she spoke to her children, Irisi snapped, "Well, set us down."

Obeying her order, the men slowly set the litter down with ease. Slowly the litter was lit by the sun as the slaves pulled back the curtains, revealing the sun-kissed sand and the overworked slaves in the background hauling sand along the heated sandy floor. Irisi ignored this and stared at a well structured tanned man, staring down at them. She smiled up at him and bat her eyes slowly, recognizing him completely as her husband, the Chief of Guards and General, Anpu. His skin was a hot brown, proof of his work directing while under the sun.

Anpu stared at his wife lovingly. He held his hand out for her to take hold of. She smiled and took her hand in his as he helped her out. "Come, I want the girls to meet the Pharaoh," he said with a smile as he looked at his children still on the cushion of the litter. He raised a brow at them with a fatherly smile. Like magnets, they drew up after him, faces highlighted and cheerful in order of their age. Shamise came out first, then proceeded Neema. Following Neema, Azeneth came with Zesiro and Kakra at her tail.

Anpu led them to the Pharaoh Seti, who stood tall and ever majestic under the large tent. He made a short respectful bow. "Pharaoh," Irisi said in greeting, nodding softly.

He nodded towards her. "Irisi, it is good to see you again. I have expectations that you will come and made a visit to your sister," he said, raising a brow.

Irisi closed her eyes. "I have been planning to see Queen Tuya, but my hands have been quite full," she said looking at the corner of her eye to where her five daughters stood.

Seti's eyes traveled to the five girls and he made a large smile. "My nieces! Come, let me look at you," he said, stretching his arms out for the girls.

Shamise stepped first, easing the nerves of her sisters. "Pharaoh," she said with a small bow. Her sisters quickly stepped beside her in a small row just how they had been lined up and made a small bow completed with a respectful greeting.

He stepped over to examine Shamise, looking over her obvious beauty. He grinned. "She would be perfect for Rameses, the perfect bride."

Anpu smiled. "Why not arrange a pre-marriage. Shamise is smart for her young age. Neema is a perfect candidate also. She's the perfect beauty. And Azeneth is serene and a peacemaker. If you approve, I would allow all my daughters to marry Rameses," Anpu said, stepping closer to the Pharaoh.

Seti smiled and made a deep laugh. "While all of your daughters are beautiful, I am awaiting more daughters from you that he could choose from," Seti said, looking towards Irisi's way.

Irisi froze a bit at the request. She clasped her hand in front of her, squeezing her hand tightly. Her eyes began to fog up and tears began to form. She didn't want to turn her back on the Pharaoh but she hated to have her secret thrown out, to have her pain exposed to the world. Irisi couldn't have anymore children. As much as she wanted them, she didn't seem to be blessed with them anymore. It had been 6 years since she had children and somehow, she seemed infertile. She loved children, loved raising them and teaching them. But she knew she wasn't well in health even at her young age of 26. She knew she needed her husband's name to be known. She had to at least become pregnant one more time and give birth to a son so their legacy could continue, but her body didn't seem to be prepared. And no matter how much her younger daughters asked for a younger sibling, she knew she couldn't fulfill their wish.

The trip back was quiet, at least for Irisi. The children clamored among themselves, speaking of marriage to the Pharaoh's son and how wondrous it would be to be a Queen of Egypt. Irisi couldn't seem to engage herself to this matter, instead she found herself lost in a world dreaming, hoping to one day have another child. She closed her eyes, picturing a young infant child in her hands. A child she could call her own. In truth, she didn't care if somehow she had another daughter. It gave her something to look up to, to raise a daughter all over again. It would be magical. If she did have a son, she wouldn't be able to see him. In Egypt, when the sons were old enough, they were immediately handed over to the father. How would that benefit her? She would only get to nurse him and nothing more. That would shatter her, break her already fragile heart.

Even when Irisi had came home, she couldn't take her mind off it. She lay in her bed, unable to drift into the comfort of sleep. Her mind stayed locked on the topic from earlier. She stared up at the ceiling, unable to stay in one position any longer. Irisi slowly crept out of bed. The moon was high in the sky, signifying the night was almost over. She walked out to the balcony, her sheer gown fluttering at her heels. Her eyes watched the night moon and the ever twinkling stars. Her hand simultaneously moved to her barren womb. How was it that her name meant 'Fashioned by Isis, the goddess of Fertility' and she couldn't even bear children anymore. It was embarrassing. And to make it worse, her sister had already gave birth to two boys. Rameses and Moses. Two. How many did Irisi have? None.

Irisi exhaled. Her eyes traveled out across the land towards the temple of Isis. It was late at night and normally worship began early in the morning for the goddess. She balled her fists. "Maybe the goddess won't mind if I come in a bit in advance," she muttered under her breath. She looked behind her to see her husband still asleep. Taking advantage of this, Irisi quickly shuffled to gather her sandals and a baggy hooded cape. She tossed it over her shoulders and snuck out the house to the temple of Isis.

The journey was long without her slaves and their strength and speed to carry her to the temple. But time to herself is what she needed. She needed time to figure out the right words to say, the exact thing to ask for and to thank the gods for all they had given her.

She slowly walked down the sand-filled streets of the Egyptian portion of Egypt, not daring to wander on the Hebrew side. She pat her chin, trying to think of what to say. She had rarely requested things from the goddess Isis, and now that she was, she felt utterly embarrassed and awfully nervous about it. "Maybe, I should say, 'Oh Isis, Mother Goddess, make me get pregnant.' Ugh! That sounds too commanding," she said, debating on what she should say. Thoughts raided her head, prayers she planned on saying. Nothing seemed to sound right. One prayer seemed too proper. Another seemed too easy going. However, once she reached the Temple of Isis, once she walked through the alabaster stone pillars of the entrance, it all seemed to come to her. She didn't need to be proper for the Goddess. She had to be herself, elegant and intelligent. She didn't need to be nervous. All she needed was to open her heart and let the goddess see inside.

Irisi slowly entered the temple, her body feeling suddenly light and controlled by something. She slowly turned towards the East and lifted her arms up at her high above her head, the fabric of her gown falling down like wings. "I am a daughter of Isis. I am a child of the goddess," she said loud enough for her voice to echo into the emptiness of the temple. And with that, she began the ritual.

Once the ritual was done, she began to head home, hoping that her prayers may soon be answered. Suddenly a loud cry filled her ears , stopping her in her tracks. She quickly turned around, hearing it in the distance of the temple. She stayed put, quiet for a moment thinking it was all in her head. Then the cry carried on and she knew she wasn't alone. Timidly, she slowly walked forward. "Hello, is anyone there?" she asked curiously. The crying continued accompanied with a whispering voice.

Irisi's steps were muted, careful not to scare off the hidden person. "Hello," she repeated softly, carefully making her way to the exit where the din had been heard.

The whispering voice seemed to grow louder as Irisi moved closer. She stopped, finally seeing a woman in a long baggy hooded robe. The person didn't seem to notice her, nor hear her silent call. The woman lay crotched on the ground, murmuring down at something, something crying.

"Um, hello," Irisi said a little louder, finally alerting the woman. A loud gasp filled the air and the caped woman ultimately looked her way. Their eyes locked for a minute and the woman quickly took off into the darkness of the night. Irisi hurried after her desperate to talk to the woman, to ask her why she had been there at such a late hour. She stopped at the pillar the woman had once been, her eyes searching the moon light area of the outside. No one. No woman fleeing the scene. No one. A light babble grabbed her attention. Irisi slowly looked down and in the darkness, she could see a dark basket slightly moving around. Something told her what it was but she couldn't help the curiosity that quaked through her. She had to be sure.

She slowly bent down to the basket, carefully removing the neatly wood knitted top. Irisi stared down at a squirming maroon blanket. Her hand moved over a maroon cloth, pulling it back. Her eyes widened as the moon's face stared down at the face of a child, the young baby. She slowly pulled back the rest of the cloth, examining the gender. "A …A girl," she said, softly, "a beautiful baby girl." The baby's face read such beauty, such perfection. Receiving a baby like this just couldn't be coincidence or chance. This had to be sent from the Goddess. Although it wasn't a boy, she was a blessing, a wonderful, beautiful blessing.

Irisi looked around, making sure that the woman who had left her was no longer in sight. When she saw she was still alone, she quickly picked up the child still wrapped around in the blanket. Cradling the baby in her arms, she asked the baby, "You're a little sweetheart, aren't you, little one? Why would you mother want to leave a little darling like you behind?" She slowly looked up and around again.

_The woman doesn't want her_, she thought. _And she hasn't come back yet so that must mean - No! I can't take her. How do I know that her mother wasn't taking her to get cleansed,' _she thought, contemplating on what she should do. _If she was taking her to get cleansed, she wouldn't have left her. _Her eyes moved down to the child, lost in the baby's hazel crystalline gaze. She smiled. "So … I'll take you to a home where you're wanted," she said to the child. With that, Irisi turned and headed home, the baby still in her hands.

When she finally made it back to her home, the night stars had started to vanish and the sky started to brighten. As soon as she entered, Anpu and their daughters looked up from their search for her.

Anpu raced over to her. "Irisi! Where were you? I told you not to sneak out at night. It is dangerous especially when you go alone," he said with a concerned frown, sounding more like a father than her husband.

She smiled and looked up at him, still holding the baby in her hands but with the blanket covering the baby's face from Anpu's view. "Love," she started finally looking up at him, "I was only at the House of Isis. And I wasn't alone," she said looking at the face of the baby in her arms.

Anpu quickly looked down at the blanketed object in her arms and his eyes widened. He slowly pulled back part of the blanket and backed up in astonishment.

The girls got a view of the young infant and gasped, rushing over to their mother to see the baby. Anpu cleared his throat, unable to contemplate his emotions. "Irisi, where did you get … Irisi, where did you get … that?" he asked, staring at the baby ignoring the other daughters gleeful chatter as they surrounded their mother, trying to see the baby.

"Well, it's a _she_ and I found _her_ at the temple of Isis. I was praying when I saw a woman abandon this child. I couldn't leave her there alone. Anything could have happened to her," she said soothingly, hoping that would win Anpu over.

"Irisi … we can't keep her. Just because you find an abandoned baby at a temple doesn't give us free right to take her. You have to bring her back," he said, sternly.

Irisi gasped and quickly looked at him with pained eyes. "Bring her back? But she was abandoned." The girls eyes looked at him, their gaze matching that of their mother.

Anpu tried hard to ignore their pained eyes but he knew they couldn't keep her. It wasn't that he didn't want another child it was just that the child wouldn't completely be hisand he'd never raised a child other than his own. She would only be the adopted child, nothing like his own daughters … She'd never be _his_ child. And that wasn't just it. He also had already raised 5 daughters. 5. That was more than most of his other colleagues had. Yes his daughters were a blessing but it wouldn't be anything new. He had already known what it felt like to have a daughter and it just wouldn't be any sort of surprise with another daughter anymore.

"We just can't keep her. She's not ours. Probably not even royal decent. You have to bring her back. For all we know her mother might have been in a different state of mind and is looking for her this very second," he went on, hoping some how he could change Irisi's mind.

"Her mother couldn't want her. She left her by herself … alone. And even if she was in her right mind … she wouldn't be fit to have this baby. God knows, what can happen to her if I bring her back," Irisi said, looking down at the infant, who seemed to be drifting to sleep. She quickly looked up at her husband. "Please … Please, Anpu, let me keep her. I will raise her right. Please. I can't bring her back, please. She needs me," she begged, stepping closer to her husband. "And … I need her."

Anpu looked away, biting the inside of his lip in agitation. He hated this situation, having to choose over his own feelings and his wife's. He knew how much this meant to her and she would never forgive him if he rejected her plea. Taking a deep breathe, he spoke, "I will not take back my feelings towards this, Irisi. I don't like the idea," he said sternly.

Irisi frowned at his words and slightly looked away, knowing he was going to make her send the baby back. She turned around to the door and began to leave.

"But," he said, making her stop in her steps, "since you really feel strongly for the child … you may keep it." He exhaled and slowly walked away before his wife and daughters could praise him for his decision.

Irisi smiled as her husband vanished into the other room. She quickly looked down at the baby as her daughters gathered around her, reaching for the little one.

"Let me see her, mother," Neema stated, sitting up on her tip toes.

Kakra whined, reaching up and tugging her mother's gown. "Me too, mama!"

Irisi smiled and leaned down, so the girls could see the face of their new sister. They complimented her with 'Ooohs' and 'Ahhhs'.

Smiling, Neema whispered, "Besides myself, she's the most cutest baby I've ever seen." The older girl leaned her finger in and let the baby grab hold of it.

Zesiro frowned and looked up at her older sister. "Hey, you said that **I** was the cutest," she bleated with a pout.

The older sister smirked teasingly. "Sorry, you've been replaced."

Zesiro frowned.

Irisi smiled. "You all were beautiful, you still are."

As the four sister surrounded their mother, gawking over the new child, Shamise stood from a distance with a harsh stare on her face. Why did they need a new baby? She already had four sisters, and now she'd have another. Which meant trouble. And if the new baby wasn anything like Kakra and Zesiro, she'd have a problem. She hated the idea of a new child. And though she dared not say it aloud, Shamise already despised the wretched creature.

Kakra tilted her head to the side. "But … mother … what is the baby's name?"

Irisi smiled and stood up, looking down at the face of the baby. "Her name … her name is Nefertari …"

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**16 YEARS LATER**

A petite silhouette sprinted across along in a dash of golden skin and glittering white silk. Leaping from dirt roof to dirt roof, the female glanced back. Her gaze landing on frail woman in fine silk and a perfect black wig chasing after her.

"Oh great," the girl muttered under her breathe, turning and leaping off of the building, landing in the sand that quickly dirtied her silk dress.

She quickly grabbed her ankle that had been bruised in her landing. She hissed slightly, running a hand over it in pain. "Damn it," she groaned a bit louder, biting the inside of her lip as she tried to stand.

_This is gonna mess up my escape. Darn it!_ the girl thought to herself, ripping the bottom of her dress and tying it around her throbbing ankle.

"NEFERTARI!" the woman's voice rang, "Nefertari, get back here!"

The girl's eyes opened wide. "Uh-oh," she muttered under her breathe. She quickly stood up, ignoring the pain of her ankle. "Not getting caught this time." Nefertari quickly began her fleeing.

Sadly, unlike planned, the woman was close behind. "Nefertari! I know you heard me! Get back here," the woman yelled.

Nefertari continued further, the woman still at her heels. The girl laughed. "Yeah, I heard you. I heard you when we were back at temple. So nope, no way I'm slowing down, temple maid," she yelled back at the woman with a snicker.

The woman gasped and made a growl. She lunged forward to the young woman. "Its HIGH priestess!"

Nefertari laughed, not daring to slow down. "Um, it's the same thing, Nebt," Nefertari teased which only angered the woman more.

Nebt snarled. _How dare she insult me? The wife of Anubis! How could she! That wretched little brat. I'll teach her a lesson or two_, the older woman thought to herself. Nebt rushed forward, inches from Nefertari.

Seeing the closeness of Neb behind her, Nefertari knew she had to think fast. She scanned around them and noticed that they were in an alleyway that led to the main streets. And if that wasn't enough to help her getaway, she saw a group of large barrels near the exit of the alley. Another perfect item for her scheme and not to mention, in the perfect place to help her. Nefertari turned and smiled at Nebt, and taunted, "Come on, Neb, its only a little further. I'm sure you can catch me … in due time."

Angering her, Nebt stomped forward gaining even closer to the girl. Nefertari took advantage of this and quickly ran out of the alleyway, knocking down all of the barrels behind her for Nebt to deal with.

Unable to react, the High Priestess fell forward, crashing into the wooden tubs with a loud scream which seemed to amuse Nefertari even more. She let out a loud laugh and continued her run, just in case some how the thin woman rebounded.

Behind her, Nebt looked up to see the young girl running off. She scowled and yelled out for the girl angrily.

"NEFERTARI!"

Nefertari grinned and continued to run, ignoring the scream of her name. She wouldn't respond to that. No. What Nebt forgot was one simple thing ...

Nefertari was wild child, never giving in to anything.

Nefertari was ... a Daughter of Egypt.

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_**hoped you enjoyed the first part. will be more. ^^ glad its already getting readers. I totally appreciate it, you guys. Also R&R. I'd love to know what you think of this part.**_


	2. Chapter 1

Hello to all my lovely readers. This shall be the 1st chapter to my The Daughter of Egypt, Lady of 'Grace' series. ^^ Yes, it is the shortest so far but that's my plan for it. ^^ Don't worry there shall be more. And who knows, I may come back and add a few things as I always do. ^^ I'd love to thank all who've decided to continue reading and also all of the people who liked and followed my story. You don't know how much I apprieciate it. Also, I'd like to thank my older brother for helping me a bit on it. You're a real catch big bro. xD Also, I'd like to thank my awesome and forever amazing Beta-Reader, civilwarrose. You are the best!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Prince of Egypt nor Nefertari. I do, however own, my story on Nefertari's background, the characters that I made up, and this jar of dirt. *holds up my jar of dirt***

**Update: So I added a small thing here to sort of make the story mesh more. To give a backing to a future chapter. ^^ Hope it helps it be more understanded. lol**

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**|| 01 ||**

**The Royal Delinquent**

**Nefertari sat on the steps, letting out a light sigh of relief.**

The young girl looked down at the dirtied silk tightly draped around her ankle and heel. "Can't believe I made a bad jump. I really need to practice some more," Nefertari muttered to herself. She propped her leg up on the other, and slowly undid the knot that lay on the roof of her foot allowing the fabric to fall. Staring down at the now swollen ankle, Nefertari grazed her hand over the swollen flesh and released a low irritated groan. "How am I supposed to run with this foot?" she questioned herself under her breath. "I shouldn't have made that jump. Damn, Nebt. This is all her fault. Crazy old lady." She heaved a deep groan and rubbed the back of her head.

"I guess I'll just have to walk back home and get mother to look at it," she said, looking back down at the ankle. She picked up the silk cloth and proceeded to wrap it around her heel and ankle once more.

Just as Nefertari was tying the final knot, a voice boomed over her, "Finally, Nefertari, I found you." The owner of the deep voice cast a dark shadow over her silhouette.

Unbothered by the large shadow, Nefertari peered up and stared blankly at the man towering over her. She stared at his face for a moment. He looked as if he had smelled something terribly disgusting and his skin was dark, showing he had probably been in the sun too long. His hair was covered by a dirty white cloth hat, probably from his work. She let her eyes roll over to the rest of his body. His chest was bare, showing off his large muscled body. She noticed his dark skin was decked in sweat and along his arm's biceps sat ever pulsing veins. His eyes were hollow black, like the eyes of death, and his stare looked like it would bring even the pharaoh to tears.

Yet Nefertari wasn't fazed by his stone cold glare. In fact, it only made her scoff at the idea that such a man was sent to retrieve her. _Looks like they really want my head. Am I THAT bad that Nebt had to send a soldier to get me._

Nefertari sneered and looked back into the man's eyes with a cocky grin. "So, you're here to do what?" she asked, seeking questions she already knew the answer to. If she could distract him long enough, she could make a quick getaway.

"I have been ordered to retrieve you and bring you to your father," the man's voice boomed.

Nefertari laughed. "Nebt set you up to this, didn't she?" she asked with a slight laugh as she looked at the ground.

The man was silent for a second as if he was trying to decide his answer. Finally he spoke, his booming voice catching Nefertari off gaurd. "Who sent me is of no importance. Now if you will please get up."

Nefertari frowned and spoke with slight amusement in her voice. "Yep, most definitely Nebt. Stupid wretch. She think she's so important that she couldn't get off her skinny hiney and try and get me herself. Talk about lazy." She looked up and made eye contact with the man once more, giving him a more innocent look. "I don't know why they sent a big guy like you to get me. I'm sure you have tons of other things to do," she said with a smile.

No comment.

"Well, no reply? Sheesh, people sure can be rude these days," Nefertari droned.

"Get. Up. Now," the man said, more direct and firm. She almost jumped at the hardened tone.

She looked down. "Well, I can't really get up. See, I kinda hurt my ankle … bad. I don't think I can walk," she said, trying to sound as if she were in pain and full of innocence.

The man's gaze traveled from her to her ankle. Indeed it was wrapped, so her story had to be true. The only thing he could do was carry her. With her messed up ankle there was no way she could run. He slowly moved over to her.

Nefertari smirked. _Perfect._ She watched as the man kneeled down to lift her. With a slick chuckle, she lifted her hurt foot and let it meet his chin in a violent smack, sending him backwards. _Perfect opportunity!_ With that, Nefertari took off, speeding down the direction towards the market area.

She ignored the angry 'HEY GET BACK HERE'. She ignored his curses under his breath as he realized catching her wouldn't be that easy. She ignored the gleeful yelling in her head about how she had done it, how she had made the perfect getaway. But for some reason, she couldn't ignore the intense pain in her ankle now. It had hurt badly earlier but that kick to the face took the cake. Instead of it feeling twisted, it now felt broken.

Nefertari cringed with each step. How she wished she could stop running, but she knew that if she did … he'd catch up and she'd be dead. But it hurt. _Man … I have to stop. I have to. NO. Keep going! Do you want to get caught? The market is just around the corner. Take a turn there and you'll be just fine. _

Listening to the daring part of her mind, the part that was strong and witty, Nefertari pressed on, forcing her mind to push the thought of pain aside.

Nefertari sped into the market place, not stopping her sprint. She dashed past various people, often knocking some off their feet. But she didn't care. They could take a fall. She couldn't. Not when every step she took had to be perfect. A simple slip of the foot could lead to her demise.

The market place was crowded which was perfect for Nefertari. The man wouldn't be able to find her, a limping girl, in this hoard of people. It was impossible. She was more than safe. Nefertari pushed past a swarm of people carrying different supplies. After a few steps she grinned, knowing she had made it to the Market Center, the most crowded place in Egypt besides the construction site of the slaves. She stopped and leaned over, taking a few deep breaths.

_Safe_, she thought, in relief, _I'm safe._ She smiled. She'd be fine. Her plan had been successful.

"There she is!" a voice boomed. A voice oddly familiar. Nefertari looked behind her and groaned at the sight of the man from earlier.

She growled. _Darn it! I didn't think ahead. I forgot that I might not be able to see him in the crowd. Stupid._ But she didn't let that get in her way. She could still make a run for it. He wouldn't be able to force his way through all these people in time to get to her.

She quickly turned to make a run for it. Just as she was about to sprint off, Nefertari ran head into chest with a tall broad form. His broad and fit body knocking her back onto the ground. She looked up and her eyes locked onto a teenager about her age or maybe a little older. He had to usual royal hair style: a shaved head with one ponytail hanging from the side. She hadn't seen this guy before and personally she didn't care.

"Excuse you! Watch where you're going!" she yelled. Just as she was about to get to her feet, two dark shadows cast themselves over her. She stared up at two men, one of them being the guy she had kicked earlier.

_And great … I'm caught! _Her eyes landed on the man who had stood in her way. _And its all his fault._

"Not again, Nefertari!" a sharp voice rung, ricocheting of the stone walls of the large home.

Nefertari stood in the middle of the almost empty room. Her head was drooped low, trying not to meet any eye contact with the man only two feet away from her.

The man was tall and a dark chocolate color. His arms lay crossed over his broad chest as his stone glare lay at the young girl. His face was old and scarred, proofof his war history. In his hand he held a whip, one he had only used on the back of slaves.

"Father, I-" Nefertari said, voice shaky with fear.

"Silence!" her father snarled, as he slapped the whip along the ground with an echoing _POP_, causing Nefertari to jump. "We have given you the best, Nefertari! The best! Your mother went out of her way to put you in the hands of the Wife of Anubis and you insist on skipping her teachings!"

Nefertari bit the inside of her lip. _What is dad plan on doing? _she thought, her eyes locking on to his whip.

* * *

Dun. Dun. **DUN!** Cliffhanger. P.S Thanks for the great idea of making it one, civil. :p Hoped you like. And don't worry. I'm soon going to being adding the next chapter. ^^ No foolin' you guys. ^^ Also, you know what to do ... R&R! Lovies. Thankies for reading.


	3. Chapter 2

**Hiii, this is chapter two of my series. ^^ Hope you like. ^^ Yes indeed this is a short chapter^^ Keep reading on because there is more. 3**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dreamworks Prince of Egypt nor do I own Nefertari. I do infact own the storyline, Anpu, and Irisi. ^^**

**UPDATED: Heeey. ^^ Just added onto this. :) Please enjoy.**

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**|| 02 ||**

**|| Brutal Discipline ||**

**Nefertari stood in the room, letting silance fill the air. The only sound coming from her father, Anpu, the General of Egypt.**

Earlier, she had been caught by her fathers men and taking to him for her mischeivious actions. Now, she awaited his wrath, whatever that may be. But whatever it was, she knew that it would be dreadful. Nefertari's eyes stared at the whip in is hand, the whip he had used on so many of the Hebrews. Would she, too, become victim to it - victim to the wrath of her father's might.

Hoping she could some how apologize, Nefertari whimpered, "Father I-."

Not allowing her to finish, Anpu yelled a loud,"Silence!", and slapped his whip along the ground. "We have given you the best, Nefertari! The best! Your mother went out of her way to put you in the hands of the Wife of Anubis and you insist on skipping her teachings!"

His voice seemed to shake the pillars that held up the home, and the very Earth they stood on. It sent trembles down Nefertari's spine, causing her to regret ever doing it.

"Nebt-Het works hard with teaching your sisters and potentially you and you throw that in she and the gods' faces! Have you learned nothing from when you were younger? Do you wish to anger to the gods, Nefertari?" the man yelled sharply.

"No," Nefertari whispered, eyes aimed at the ground.

"Than why do you insist on dishonoring your family name and the gods that have watched over us?" her father's voice boomed, echoing in the empty room. "It does not look good on me when I have to ask my workers to go and retrieve you for me because you are abandoning your duties! That makes me look terrible, as if your mother and I have not raised you accordingly, as if we have let you run amok like the common whores of Egypt! I will not have you disgrace my name nor your mother's NOR the gods that way. Now … for your punishment," he muttered with a icy stare towards his child.

Nefertari looked up as her father stepped forward, dragging the whip at his heels. Her eyes widened and she felt as her knees began to become weak.

At the same moment, Irisi sprinted through the halls, her silk dress close at her heels. Her slaves, Mut and Amisi, ran after her. "Lady Irisi, wait," they called, hoping for the woman to slow down. She pushed their voices out of her head, out of her thoughts. She didn't care about any of them or whatever they had to tell her. All she knew was that she had to find her daughter.

She walked over to a slave woman scrubbing the floors. "Where is she? Where is Nefertari?" she asked, hoping that the woman knew where her daughter was.

Hesitant at first, the woman pointed to the room holding a few statues of Isis and Osiris, the family gods. "But lady Irisi, Nefertari is-"

Not waiting to hear the rest of the woman's comment, Irisi ran down the hall and turned at the corner, entering the room nearly empty room. The only inhabitants were her husband, Anpu, and her daughter Nefertari. She watched as Anpu lifted the whip from off the ground and pull it behind his back, preparing for a painful slash onto his daughter's shoulders.

Unable to hold the idea of Nefertari being beaten, Irisi raced forward towards the middle of the room, hoping to get there in time.

Nefertari stood in the middle of the room, the top portion of her dirtied dress off her shoulders revealing her bright copper back. She couldn't hear the sound of her father readying his whip, but she knew it was coming. She could feel it being readied to strike her. Holding the front of her dress to her chest, she clenched her eyes shut, preparing for a hit.

She heard her father's growl as he lashed the leather rope forward. She bit her teeth together wanting to hold in her scream from the pain. But the pain didn't come. She didn't feel the slick, painful leather of the whip along her shoulders. She didn't feel the urge to scream, to yell out to the world as her back stung from the painful contact. All she recognized was another scream and she knew this scream was not her own.

Nefertari opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder to see her mother's form full of agony and torture. Nefertari gasped and quickly turned over, catching her mother as the woman collapsed.

"Mother," Nefertari muttered, as she held her mother's sides.

Irisi whispered a soft 'Nefertari' and then slowly stood up, acting as if the hit had not faltered her. Irisi turned to her husband who held a shocked look upon his face.

His face was soon swapped with one of anger. "Irisi! I was just in the process of punishing her for her actions. Why did you-" he started, dropping his whip and stepping forward. Despite his face, his voice rang with compassion and loathing and regret. His heart ached. Ached from his actions. Ached that he had hurt the woman he loved so dear.

Irisi stood tall despite the pain in her back and stood protectively over Nefertari as if she were her guard. "You cannot whip my child, Anpu. You cannot," she said in with a shudder, her voice reflecting her pain. "She is my child. She is my duty. If she makes the mistake, I will bare the punishment. That was our agreement."

Nefertari jumped at the thought. All the times she had been acting wrong, all the times she skipped her classes, her mother held the punishment. Had her mother been … whipped? This idea made Nefertari quiver. Then her mind drifted to what her mom had said. That was their agreement? Why had her mother and father made such a rash agreement over he?

Anpu frowned. "She deserves punishment. How else will she learn? Unless she faces the consequences, she will keep repeating her mistakes! She shall be punished!"

"Her ankle. Anpu, my love, her ankle," Irisi muttered as the woman fell to the floor in a bowing position. "Lord Anpu," she begged, her eyes locked on the ground as tears fell down onto the floor, "please, please spar spare my child."

Anpu's heart melted at her calling him Lord. It hurt him. They had a strong relationship. A strong, ever growing relationship. And through that relationship, she had always called him 'Anpu' or 'My Love' or 'Dear'. Never had she called him lord. It seemed like such a foreign word to him and the way it sounded on her tongue, he couldn't allow himself to break it. She had in fact gotten down on her knees and begged him calling him by his title rather than addressing him as her husband. He couldn't take that. And to make it worse ... His eyes traveled down to the whip in his hands.

_I ... I was going to use this on my own child ... as if she were -_ His thoughts flashed to the image of him lashing his whip along the backs of slaves. Had he reached his breaking point? Was he morphing into the harsh General was in his families eyes? Was he turning into ... a monster?

Anpu allowed his eyes to look upon his wife, his beautiful wife Irisi, the mother to all their children. Her face was full of pain, of sorrow, of pleading. Pleading like a slave ... A slave that she wasn't. She was his goddess, the love of his life. His eyes traveled to the torn cloth along Irisi's shoulder that continued down her back. He could see her skin begin to welt where he knew he had hit.

He balled his fists. _I hit my wife ..._ Of course it wasn't on purpose but still ... he had hurt his wife hoping to hurt his daughter. He felt as tears started to form in his eyes. "I don't deserve this," he muttered under his breathe, quiet enough that only he could hear.

Anpu closed his eyes, forcing the tears back. He slowly turned and walked towards the way he had came, silent as a thief in the night, leaving the two women alone.

Nefertari sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes looking down at the woman at her feet. The two of them were quiet since the incident in the Worship Chamber. Neither of them wanted to break the silance. And for once, Nefertari dared not to speak. She felt too guilty, too faulted.

But her mother was another story. Irisi looked up at her child, a smile curved along her pink lips. "You messed your ankle up pretty bad, didn't you?" she asked in a cheerful tone as if the prior events had not taken place.

Nefertari stared wide-eyed at her mom, expecting more of a somber reaction instead of a gleeful one. "Um, yeah, I was running from Nebt and so I-"

"Jumped off a house. Yes, Nebt-Het told me. She said that you act more like a daughter of Seth than of one of Isis," her mother chuckled. Nefertari laughed under her breath, secretly not getting the joke. She was never one to know about the gods. She only knew small things and even those things she knew, she wasn't completely accurate with. Irisi tied a cloth tightly around Nefertari's ankle making the young girl yelp.

"I-Is it broken?" Nefertari asked, followed by another high squeal as her mother tied another knot around the cloth.

Chuckling, Irisi smirked. "No, its not broken nor sprained. You just bruised it a bit. It'll be as good as new by tomorrow or so." She lightly pulled out a rag from a bowl of hot water beside her. She placed it over the cloth, earning a whimper from Nefertari.

Irisi smiled at this but not long after the smile faded into sadness. "Nefertari," her mother whispered.

Nefertari looked up, waiting for her mother's next reply.

Her mother was quiet for a while, making Nefertari wonder if she had only imagined her mother speaking but after a minute, Irisi spoke again.

"Please. Please stop … Please just stop," her mother whispered in a cracking tone.

Nefertari looked at her lap, trying to avoid eye contact with her mom just as she did her father. How did she know this was coming? How did she know she'd be met with guilt again? One completely different from her father's words ... but the words of her mother.

"You're … breaking my heart. You're breaking your father's heart."

Nefertari made a coy snort and looked in the other direction. "**Me** breaking **father's **heart? Hmph. There is no way in the land of Egypt that he is heart broken. He's just upset because I made him look bad," Nefertari muttered.

Irisi looked up and placed a hand on her daughter's knee. "Nefertari, my dear, your father really does love you, way more than you know. You don't know how much he puts on the line for you. There's so many things that you don't know. So many things he's sacrificed for you," the woman said softly, squeezing Nefertari's knee.

"Sacrificed for me? Pfft. That's not likely mother. Have you seen the way he looks at me to a day to day basis? I get treated worse than the Hebrews!"

Irisi frowned. "Your father has done so much for you. And to compare yourself to the Hebrews is an insult on our family. Nefertari. You're father loves you. Please know that. You don't have to believe it. Just please, dear, know it."

Wanting to change the subject, Nefertari looked up. "Alright. So, Mother, what did you mean by, 'That's our agreement' earlier? You know, when you we're talking to father and the whole 'incident.'"

Irisi stood up and turned to leave Nefertari's room. "Ah, yes, that. It was nothing. Nothing you should be concerned over," the woman uttered carelessly. "Don't worry about it dear. Now, lay down dear and rest. You will need it for tomorrow."

"But moth-," Nefertari pressed, hoping to get a little more information out of the older woman.

"No, my child," Irisi said turning to gaze at her child. She clasped her hands together and put them on the side of her face and lay her head down on the back of her hand like a pillow. "Sleep."

Nefertari frowned and turned onto her bed and lay down on the small cushions. "Good night, mother."

Irisi grinned walked to the doorway and put out the torches that hang on the wall. "Sleep well, my dear," Irisi whispered, before exiting the room through silk door drapes, leaving Nefertari alone in the darkness with her thoughts.

Instead of drifting to sleep as her mother had instructed, Nefertari just lay where she was, staring at the ceiling. Her mind flowed with what her mother meant by the whole 'deal' thing. It didn't make kind of couple made a deal on raising a child they wanted? It didn't make sense.

"Maybe … maybe father didn't want me," she thought out loud. That assumption seemed to make perfect sense. He had always been harsh with her. He was always harsh with his children but it was like he was harder on her. It even seemed that he was harder on her than her younger brother, Horus.

Horus was the only boy and was most likely next in line for the title of General. With this heavy title on the line, it would be expected that he would have a heavy burden on his shoulders. However, it was almost the oposite. He was treated as if the title didn't matter. He was treated so much better than her. Maybe it's because-

"Pst," a noise shot into her room, pulling her mind from the prior events. She looked around, hoping she wasn't hearing things.

"Um, hello?" she asked, looking around the room.

"PSSST. OWWW," the voice rang, practically giving off the thought that it was all in her head. "Damn, Horus! Stop stepping on my toe," a familiar, slightly violent voice rang.

After it followed a higher pitched voice, one belonging to someone obviously more innocent. "Yeah, Horus, stop stepping on her toe."

A lighter voice followed, most definitely a boys voice. "Ooopsie," it rang. "I'm sowy."

"Quiet!" the more sharp voice grumbled, "she'll hear us."

Nefertari frowned. "I can already HEAR you. Who is it?" she asked looking towards the door.

At first, it was silent but than a young face peaked out from behind the silk drapes. Nefertari immediately recognized it as her older sister, Kakra. The black haired woman stepped inside, her smile wide and sweet. "Hehehe, hello, Nef," Kakra squealed. Like a 4 year old rather than the 20 year old she was, Kakra ran forth and leaped onto her sisters bed.

Following after her was the youngest child, Horus. 13 years after Nefertari was born, Irisi and Anpu were blessed with a baby boy. Overly happy with their only child, Anpu decided to name him after Isis and Osiris's son, Horus. Being on of the youngest, Horus quickly began adapting Nefertari and the twins' mischievous personality.

He hopped on the bed, his silky black ponytail bouncing as he climbed on Kakra's lap. He slowly crawled close to Nefertari. "Heard father almost whiped you," he said, straight forwardly, his voice amused and a little too interested.

Zesiro stormed in, her short dark brown hair swinging at her shoulders. She pulled back her hand as she neared the bed and lay a quick loud slap on Horus's bare head. "Dummy," she snarled, "You can't just say stupid stuff like that. Stupid boy." She quickly smacked him once more, earning herself a light squeal from him. Zesiro quickly turned her attention to Nefertari. With a raise of her eye brows she sat down on the bed. "So did you get beat? Lemme see the scars!" Zesiro grabbed for the silk gown that her younger sister was wearing.

Nefertari frowned and pulled away. "I did **NOT** get whipped."

"Awww," Zesiro, Kakra, and Horus said in unison.

Nefertari frowned and gapped her mouth, surprised by their reaction. "What? You three were looking forward to me getthing whipped? And how on earth did you guys find out anyway?"

Kakra smiled and played with a strand of her hair. "It was Shamise. We were walking down the hall about to sneak out and get away from our teachings when Shamise caught us. She thought we were gonna go look for you."

Zesiro nodded and balled her fist. "She said that we didn't have to go sneak out to get you. She said that the guards had found you and you were gonna get what you deserved. That meant that father was gonna whip ya. (I wouldn't use so much American slang language, it doesn't fit with Ancient Egypt.) So … we went and looked for mother. She got real scared and left. Dunno what happened after that. She told us to go to bed."

Frowning, Nefertari flipped her feet over the bed. "I can't believe her! I should've known. That crazy girl can't keep her mouth shut worth anything! I'm gonna go- Aaah," she groaned as she stood up.

Horus stared at her and then her ankle. "How'd THAT happen?"

Sitting back down, Nefertari rolled her eyes. "It's a long story," she muttered remembering the man who had knocked her down. Her eyes traveled to the three others. Their eyes were wide with curiosity which made Nefertari smile. "Well … today I was supposed to be with Nebt -" she began with a smile, putting the leg of her hurt ankle on the bed.

* * *

Sooo this is my ending chapter. ^^ If you have any questions concerning this chapter, please feel free to ask via Reveiw. ^^ You know how much I live those. Thankies for reading and read on. There shall be more soon to make for my absense. ^^ 3


	4. Chapter 3

**Finally the next chapter. ^^ I've decided that this one will be a long one and that i'll have a bit of a story change. I also want to thank all of the Story Favorites & Follows and Author Favorites & Follows. And not to mention the reviews. I love them all hehehe. ^^**

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own DreamWorks , Prince of Egypt nor do I own Nefertari. **

**I DO own, Nefertari's storyline, Anpu, Irisi, and all of the siblings mentioned in this chapter. hehehe =^-^=**

**UPDATE : Totally added more stuff that I thought would be very much needed. Edited a few things i honostly forgot to edit. 3 Blame it on the ... robot monkeys. They are responsible. Thankies and hope you enjoy! **

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**|| 03 ||**

**Noble Decree**

**The hallways were dark, only holding the soft chirp of crickets and the crackle of the night torches. All was quiet and serene even when three womEn walked slowly down the dimly lit corridor.**

Irisi, one of the three women, clasped her hands in front of her, allowing her eyes to watch the path in front of her. Although her appearance seemed tranquil and adorned in peace, she was everything but so. In her mind, she felt troubled. The events that lead up to her stroll loomed on her mind like a feline stalking a mouse. So much had happened that day, so much she wished she could rewind.

Nefertari had once again avoided her studies, which, once again, resulted in her husband Anpu's inflamed rage. Due to that rage, her husband had been hurt. Although she had been physically hurt in the process, she knew Anpu was hurting more, in ways she could never experience. It was evident with his words. The words he had muttered under his breath.

_I don't deserve this_, his voice seemed to echo in her mind. How her heart ached. It was clear what he meant ... and it hurt. For some strange reason, Irisi felt as if she was to blame. As if all that happened was her own fault. And maybe it was ... maybe she was the cause of this controversy.

"Miss Irisi!" a voice yelled waking her from her daze. She felt a pair of hands grabbing her shoulders from behind, stopping her in her tracks. She gasped at where she was. She had wandered outside and was only one step away from falling down the stairs of the home entrance. She looked over her shoulder to see Mut, one of the women who had been walking with her and who was also her personal slave.

Mut was a heavy set woman. Her skin was very dark and her eyes even darker. Her hair, despite her age, was a beauitful red. Irisi loved having this woman at her side. She was trustworthy and quite a bit of fun to be around. And not only that, but she was very protective. Although, given protection from countless guards and slaves, Irisi gained a sense of motherly reassurance and protection form Mut.

Irisi blinked for a moment, surprised and relieved that she had been stopped. Trying to maintain a calm outlook, she spoke, "Why thank you, Mut. I don't know what came upon me. Shall we head back inside?"

Mut stared at Irisi, overly distressed with the woman's state of mind and health. "My lady, are you alright? Are you ill?"

Irisi laughed. "Of course not. I was originally thinking of taking a walk towards the temples but ... I am feeling a bit tired."

A younger voice joined in the conversation. "My lady, we should take you to your chambers and call a priest. Perhaps you are ill. Are you feeling queasy?"

Irisi's gaze traveled to the younger woman who went by the name Amisi. Amisi had recently joined her family not a few weeks before. Irisi loved the girl but something about her held an oddity. She was very figdety in situations concerning the guards. Irisi didn't know much about the girl nor her origins, but she did know that her family was very poor and was rarely talked about when Irisi asked about them. All she knew about the girl is that she was the one of five children and was a twin but her brother died at birth. Due to this, Irisi rarely talked to Amisi about such matters.

"No, it is alright. I am in no need a priest. I am fine," she argued, hoping to reassure the two women.

"Well at least allow us to escort you to your chambers." Mut was not convinced. She knew how her mistress behaved during situations and this situation brought back memories of when her lady was poor in health.

Quickly rejecting her with a shake of her head, Irisi added, "I am fine without your assistance for that, my loyal ones. I would like to walk there on my own for I need the time to think about certain matters. Now if you will excuse me, ladies." Seeing that the woman were not leaving, she added, "Go to your homes and rest for the night. Tomorrow will be another day of labor. You need your rest."

The two women looked at each other and hesitantly headed back to their homes.

Realizing she needed one final request, she called out, "Wait!"

The two looked back at her, waiting for her response.

"Before you leave ... I must ask that you grant me a favor."

The two slaves looked at each other once more and then looked towards the noblewoman, "Yes, my lady?"

* * *

**|| MEANWHILE ||**

Anpu stood on the balcony, his eyes cast out across the land lit by the pale gaze of the moon. It was quiet tonight, much to his displeasure. It left him alone with his thoughts which only seemed to cause him to reflect back on the incident from before and allow guilt and self-anger fill his heart.

With his job, it was very difficult for him not to behave a certain way towards things. When a slave made a mistake, he knew he had to punish them with the only way he could - the whip. Why had he allowed himself to use the same method of punishment on low classmen on his high class daughter? And why such punishment like the whip?

He tightly clutched the railing of the balcony, gritting his teeth together. Why couldn't he be a better father? He rarely spent time with his son, and to make up for that loss of father and son bond he would ravish the boy in the finest of delicacies and all that he thought the young boy would like. It was nearly the same for his daughters. He knew nothing personal about them, none of their wants or plans. Nothing. What kind of father did that make him? Even the Pharoah made time for his sons. How could he not do the same for his family?

Suddenly he heard the sound of footsteps, quiet as the night closely followed by the scent of sweet honey. He shivered at knowing who it was. His beautiful wife, Irisi. His legs felt weak all of a sudden and his heart began to pound. Suddenly, the image of the blood on his wife's shoulders from the events before made his stomach churn and his eyes water. Why was he not the man he used to be? Why wasn't he a good father? Why?

Suddenly, the feel of warm arms wrapping around his stomach and a head resting against the bareness of his back made him nearly jump out of his skin yet gave him a sense of peace and love. The sweet smell of honey drowned over him, causing him to nearly melt. He opened his mouth and lightly muttered her name. "Irisi ..."

The woman made no immediate comment and only tightened her hold on him.

Anpu let his hands to enclose over her own, and whipered to her, "Irisi, my love, please forgive -"

"Anpu, my dear," she interrupeted, "don't."

Hearing her voice immediately reminded him of her pleas, her begging. Calling him 'Lord'. His stomach churned in disgust. Not disgust for her ... but for himself. He turned around to face her, letting his eyes run over her beautiful skin and her enchanting eyes. He let his hand move to her own and grabbed them tightly. "Irisi ... I am sorry. I am soo sorry. I am not the man I used to be. How can you love a man like me?"

Hearing her voice immediately reminded him of her pleas, her begging. Calling him 'Lord'. His stomach rolled in disgust. Not disgust for her ... but for himself. He turned around to face her, letting his eyes run over her beautiful skin and her enchanting chocolate brown eyes. He let his hand move to her own and grabbed them tightly. "Irisi ... I am sorry. I am so sorry. I am not the man I used to be. I wish I could be but ... I just no longer have those qualities. How can you love a man like me?"

"No," Irisi stated, placing her hand over his, "You are still the man I love. You are just as I remembered. Strict. Brave. And loving. All the things I adore about you."

His eyes looked down at her shouder, at the long slash that he could see through her silk sleeve. He quickly pulled away. "Too strict! Not brave. And not even near to loving! I can hardly treat my own wife and my children accordingly," Anpu ranted, stepping back into their bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed. "I am not the man I used to be. I ... I am a monster."

His eyes looked down at her shouder, at the long slash that he could see through her silk sleeve. He quickly pulled away. "Too strict! Not brave. And not even close to loving! I can hardly treat my own wife and my children accordingly," Anpu ranted, stepping back into their bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed. "I am not the man I used to be. I ... I am a monster."

Irisi took a seat beside him and looked at him with compassion swimming in her eyes. "Anpu, you are NOT a monster. You are a man. A man who loves his family very much. A man who has made so many sacrifices in order for us. You are not the man you used to be." She placed a hand on his check and turned him so he was looking at her. "You're someone so much better."

Anpu stared at his wife, thankful for her words. He cupped her chin and leaned in, laying a soft sweet kiss along her lips in which she replied back passionately.

Irisi slowly pulled away from the kiss, remembering she had to inform him of something. "Anpu, my love. I have something to tell you," she said looking into his eyes.

* * *

"-And that's what happened. Any questions?" Nefertari asked, clasping her hands together after completing her story of the events from before.

Zesiro frowned. "YES! Why did you allow yourself to be captured, Nefertari? You could have gotten away," the older girl snarled, slamming her fists on the bed's cushion.

Frowning, Nefertari balled her fists. "I told you before. That guy knocked me over. I was almost away and then he appeared out of the blue and knocked me down." She glared off into space, remembering the man. His dark skin. His taunting eyes. His shaved head with only a ponytail to compliment his baldness. She didn't know who he was but she knew she wanted her revenge.

Kakra, nearly asleep, stared at Nefertari. "You should find this man and teach him a lesson, dear sister."

Nefertari looked at the older girl, eyes slightly squinted yet with a unsure gaze. "Do you think so?"

Nodding off, Kakra bounced her head up while wearily playing with sleeping Horus's ponytail. "Hmmhm."

"I agree! We should do that, Nef. Find this guy and make him regret what he did," Zesiro spoke brazenly.

Kakra, nearly asleep, leaned up and yelled, "Zesiro, silence yourself. I was nearly asleep."

Nefertari quickly ignored the clamouring of the two sisters and focused on what Kakra had said. She knew it was mostly the sleep talking but the idea amused her. She did feel like granting her lust for revenge.

_Who ever that guy was ... I am going to make him pay,_ the young noble daughter thought. _And I know exactly how._ Ready to tell her sisters about her ingenius plan, Nefertari turned only to find both Zesiro and Kakra asleep. Letting out a heavy sigh, she smiled and slowly lay herself down on her bed, letting herself fall into the comfort of sleep.

_Tomorrow, _Nefertari thought on the brink of sleep, _I'll get my revenge on both Shamise and that guy. _And with a final sluggish bat of her eyes, Nefertari drifted into the calm serene place of sleep.

* * *

Anpu sat in silence at the news of what his wife had done. It sent goosebumps down his spine, made his heart sink. How, no why, did this happen? The gods HAD to be punishing him.

Irisi stared at him, a bit worried about how he would react. "I felt I had to do it. In order to keep our family intact and keep you less stressed. I hate seeing you hurt," she said softly looking down.

"N-no. I understand. I just wish ... we could have disgusted this before you made such a rash, no, I mean heavy decision. But what has been done is done. We'll prepare them tomorrow," Anpu said not wanted to drift on the subject any longer. He slowly moved and climbed fully into the bed and crawling under the sheets and trying his best to go to sleep.

Irisi stared at his form, her eyes wide and full of saddness. It was clear he didn't want to speak further on the topic, so she did the only thing she could. She moved over to her side of the cot and climbed in behind him. She wrapped her arms around him, feeling him tense at her touch. _Yes_, Irisi thought closing her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek, _I have made a mistake._

* * *

**And the end of the chapter. ^v^ Sowy it took so long, I was trying to perfect it to a point and finally I did. ^V^ I hope this is to all you're liking you all. Heheehe. Thankies. And please, reveiwers let me know I have readers and readers inspire me to write more. So R&R everyone. Heartsies. 3 3**


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